Exhibition Looks at Parenting Over the Decades

A new exhibition at Edinburgh’s Museum of Childhood looks at the challenges of parenthood over the years. The exhibition, called "Bringing Up Baby", is free to enter and runs until the 29th September.

Bringing Up Baby features a range of objects from the museum’s collection including Paddi Pad disposable nappies invented by British mum Valerie Hunter Gordon in 1947 and Kamella Baby Bag popular in the 1930s.

Among the selection of baby’s clothes on display are home-made knits and popular baby clothes through the decades.

Scotland’s Baby Box is also part of the exhibition having been gifted to the Museum by the Scottish Government last year. The Baby Box, which is provided for free to expectant mothers through the national Baby Box scheme started by the Scottish Government in August 2017, stores an assortment of baby necessities including clothes for babies up to six months, books, a digital ear thermometer, a bath towel, and a changing mat. The box itself doubles as a bed with a mattress, mattress protector and a fitted sheet.

Lyn Stevens, Museum of Childhood Curator said: “It has been fascinating to explore the Museum’s collection to find what has changed in infant care and what has stayed the same. The clothes were especially interesting as fashion plays a large role in how parents wish to present their new arrivals to the world. Scotland’s Baby Box is a great addition to our collection, and captures a moment in time for this new initiative.”